The present invention relates to the field of hardware, more particularly hardware having a catch, pin or a roller, etc. that is adjustable over a full range of heights.
In many construction projects the cost of labor is one of the highest portions of many construction budgets. These high costs create great interest in the builder and the property owner in reducing labor expenses where possible. In attempting to reduce these costs, many construction managers look to use less skilled and therefore less expensive labor for some portions of a project. In addition, in many areas there is a shortage of skilled labor that causes the project leaders to resort to less skilled help. One downside to the use of less skilled labor is the added cost that is incurred due to the increase in errors made by these laborers. As a result, there is an interest in labor saving devices in many construction projects. In addition, there is an interest in labor saving devices that compensate for errors, deviations and variations incurred in the installation whether due to that workers, the workmanship of the construction materials or for other reasons.
One area where there can be great expenditure of time and effort in many projects is the installation of hardware. One type of such time and effort is in the installation of hanging doors, installing drawers and related items in cabinets closets and elsewhere. Many doors are still made of wood and when they are hung there is not always a uniform gap between the door and the frame. While there is a need for a gap to permit the door to swing open and shut properly without sticking, too large a gap can create problems with the installation of the door latch or catch, particularly many off the shelf door latches and door locking mechanisms. For example, the carpenter may have trimmed the door too much in installation or the opening made by the frame was not as wide as the plans originally called for. Also, in many renovations due to settling of the house over time or frames being out of plumb, a replacement door may have to be extensively trimmed to fit the door. If the carpenter is not careful too much can be taken off the door and unfortunately, wood cannot be added back. Where the gap has become too great between the frame and the door one of the problems that is encountered is the striker does not enter the frame and thus the door does not remain closed.
Mortising a latch or catch becomes particularly important today with many of the doors that are available. Solid construction for a door is becoming rarer and rarer in many projects due to its cost. As a result, there are more luan doors that have a thin solid perimeter frame around the door with a hollow core or a core that is not a wooden core but can be made of insulation. In these instances the more frame that is trimmed from the outside edge of the door increases the risk that the door latch will improperly extend into the hollow portion of the door or that the catch will not fit properly in the door. Even more traditional doors such as a colonial style, six panel door can have similar installation issues. Six panel doors have an outer frame that may be about 1.25 or 1.75 inches thick. Depending on the door, the frame to which the panels are attached is only several inches wide. Adjacent one side of the frame is the panel which is typically, very thin at its edges, i.e., in the area where the panel is inserted in or connected to the frame. While the panel normally increases in thickness toward the center of the panel, this is not useful to the installer when the catch is being installed in the door. There is frequently no room to correct the situation if the latch is mortised in the frame incorrectly or if the door is trimmed too aggressively. While the foregoing references wooden doors, many of these same issues can be incurred in connection with the installation of doors made of other materials such as steel and plastic doors and others.
Similar issues may also arise when cabinets are being made. In many instances, the frame of the cabinet is made separately from the drawers or the cabinet doors. In fact even in many custom cabinet projects for a kitchen or elsewhere, the doors and drawer faces are made first or specially ordered and the cabinets are built around the selected drawer front and the doors. Nevertheless, due to variations in the wood used, the skill of the cabinet maker, the humidity in the workshop or in the kitchen, all create variables that can cause there to be different gaps between the door or drawer and the frame of the cabinet. As a result, there can be issues with the fit of the drawer and door hardware due to these variations.
In addition, to doors and cabinets, there are a number of other instances where an adjustable catch or latch is necessary, to alleviate problems with the fit and finish of the article. As a result, there is a need for a full range adjustable latch or catch that may be used in a variety of applications where forgiveness of errors in installation or variations in materials is necessary.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved latch or catch that may be used in a number of applications.
It is an object of the invention to provide an adjustable catch or latch that will alleviate errors including errors made during installation or manufacturing.
It is also an object of the invention to provide an adjustable catch or latch that will alleviate defects or inconsistencies in materials that the catch being installed in.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved catch or latch that is adjustable over a full range.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved adjustable catch or latch that may be provided with a roller, a pin, a striker, etc.
It is another object of the invention to provide an adjustable catch or latch that is has superior strength for use in a variety of applications where high stresses are present.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a catch, latch, stopper or keeper that is easy to use and install in a variety of applications.
The present invention is directed to an improved catch or latch for a variety of applications including but not limited to doors, drawers, etc. Some other applications include refrigerator doors, oven door, freezer doors and others. The catch of the present invention may also be used as a door stop to fit in the a door which will catch a stop mounted nearby. The apparatus may also be used on windows where the device is mounted on each side of sash and locks into notches in frame to retain the window in a given partially open position.
The catch is generally adjustable over a full range to compensate for difficulties, including difficulties in manufacture and in installation, applications where there are alignment problems and others. The catch is front adjustable so that even after installation adjustments may be made without having to remove the catch. The catch may be adjusted by means of a screwdriver or other thin narrow blade or other type of tool into, for example, a slot in a roller or striker or a pin. The catch means which may include for example a roller a pin or a striker is then depressed and turned either clockwise or counter clockwise to adjust the distance the catch means extends from the housing. The turning of the catch means allows the lower threaded section of the mounting frame thread into or out of the adjusting plate, thus raising or lowering the catch means.
The catch means is designed to preferably move inwardly or retract when the means such as a striker or roller is struck by the adjacent frame, such as a door frame or other object. An internal spring permits inward and outward movement of the catch means assembly When the inward or outward motion of the roller is completed a spring or springs force the catch means back out into the raised position. The front plate holds the catch means assembly in place. One or more tracks and one or more plate guides prevent the adjusting plate from rotating as the catch means is turned in the raising and lowering thereof.